Welcome! This is written primarily for people with Type 2 Diabetes. Some information covers all types of diabetes. Always keep a positive attitude is my motto.
I am a person with diabetes type 2 and write about my experiences and research. Please discuss medical problems with your doctor. Please do not click on the advertisers that have attached to certain words in this section. They are not authorized and are robbing me by doing so.

September 27, 2016

Should We Use More Than Insulin?

If you use insulin for diabetes, you
still might get swings in your blood glucose levels occasionally.
But what if the levels won't go down, even with insulin? Don't
worry. It's not the only way to get your condition under control.
Healthy habits and diabetes medicine can also help.

Some of best ways to prevent high blood
glucose levels are old-school:

#1. Exercise. When you do it
regularly, it's like adding another medicine to your care. It makes
the insulin you take work better, and it removes the sugar, or
glucose, from your blood.

It also helps you lose weight, which
can lower blood glucose. Try to build up to at least 30 minutes of
moderate exercise most days, even if you start with just 5 minutes.
Talk to your diabetes care team first about how to work out safely.

#2. Eat right. A healthy diet
keeps your blood sugar within a safe range. It's the most important
way to help you shed pounds if you're overweight. Work with a
registered dietitian or a certified diabetes educator to learn about
the best food to eat and how to build a meal plan that works for your
lifestyle.

Weight loss medications are another
option you can consider if you need to get thinner. Talk to your
doctor about which ones might be a good choice for you.

#3. Relax. Stress blocks your
body from releasing insulin, and that lets glucose pile up in your
blood. If you're stressed for a long time, your glucose levels will
keep building. Regular exercise and relaxation techniques -- like
yoga, meditation, tai chi, and breathing exercises -- can help.

If the insulin you take isn't enough to
lower high blood sugar, your doctor may change how much you take and
how you take it. For instance, he may ask you to:

Increase your dose.

Take a fast-acting type before
meals to help with swings in blood sugar after you eat.

Take a long-acting type once or
twice a day to help give you smoother blood glucose control.

Use an insulin pump, which may
make it easier to manage your blood glucose levels.

Other
Medications:

You may take other drugs along with
insulin to fight blood glucose highs. Some common ones are:

Exenatide and liraglutide (GLP-1
receptor agonists). If you have type 2 diabetes, these drugs
lower glucose highs and make you feel full after a meal, which can
help you eat less and lose weight. You take these medicines by
injection. They can cause some side effects, such as nausea,
vomiting, weakness, or dizziness.

DPP-4 Inhibitors. These include
drugs like alogliptin (Nesina), linagliptin (Tradjenta), saxagliptin
(Onglyza), and sitagliptin (Januvia). If you have type 2
diabetes, they can help you lower your blood glucose after meals. You
take them as a pill. Side effects vary, depending on the type you
take.

Other Reasons for
High Blood Sugar:

There are other possible reasons your
blood sugar may be high, such as insulin resistance, which may run in
your family. That's when your body doesn't respond as well as it
should to the insulin it makes. Or, you may be taking a drug for
another health problem that keeps your body from using it well.

How you use insulin can also matter.
If you give yourself shots in the same place repeatedly, for
instance, that area may scar, which can affect how your body absorbs
the hormone. It helps to rotate spots or use an insulin pump.

Some people also take less insulin than
they should. It might be because they're afraid of low blood glucose,
or they're nervous about needles. You might feel more comfortable by
slowly increasing your insulin dose. Consider an insulin pump or pen
if you don't like needles.

Whatever the cause of your blood
glucose highs, work closely with your doctor to find a solution. And
always talk with him before you make any changes in your insulin
dose.

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About Me

I am enjoying life, despite diabetes type 2. I am retired and enjoying the time I have for writing and photography. I was diagnosed with type 2 on Oct 2003, on oral meds for 4 months and they were doing nothing to really improve my daily readings. By cutting my carbohydrates I received the most improvement, but still not enough. Then I requested insulin, even though I did not like the thought of needles. That brought about the biggest change and A1c's in the lower 6's and upper 5's. Now I am working at maintaining them under 6.0 and hopefully nearer 5.5.